How to Use a Chinese Jump Rope
The Chinese jump roping game dates back to 7th-century China, but it regained popularity in the 1960's. It is a fun, yet challenging, game that uses a large elastic band. Typically, two children wear the band around their ankles while a third child jumps over and on it while singing a song or reciting a verse.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Get in position. Two people, called "enders," step inside the rope and face each other. The enders place the Chinese jump rope around their ankles and step back until the rope is taut. The enders spread their ankles so the rope is approximately 12 inches apart in width. The jumper stands outside the rope ready to jump.
-
2
Several terms make up the Chinese jump roping game; players use them to indicate the jumper's position relevant to the rope. When the players say "In," the jumper's feet are inside the rope. "On" means the jumper lands with her left foot on the left rope and her right foot on the right rope. "Out" means the player jumps and lands with both feet on the outside of either the left or right side of the rope. "Side out" means the player jumps with both feet from the outside of either the right or left side of the rope to the outside of the opposite side. "Straddle out" means the player jumps so that either foot lands outside both left and right sides. "Side-by-side" refers to when the player jumps from side to side, yet alternates which foot is "in" and which foot is "out."
-
-
3
The first player jumps rope according to the terms called by the enders. If the player jumps incorrectly, she becomes an ender, and one of the enders becomes the player. If the player jumps through the sequence successfully, the enders move the rope up around the knees and the player continues her turn. The players can increase the difficulty of the Chinese jump-roping game by moving the rope higher on the enders' bodies.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
A stationary item, such as the legs of a chair, can take the place of one of the children. Alternatively, players can draw chalk lines on a sidewalk to take the place of a Chinese jump rope.
